SNL's Kenan Thompson Is Officially Getting His Own Show on NBC

Kenan Thompson will pull double duty for NBC this year, as the longtime Saturday Night Livecast member will lead the new NBC comedy The Kenan Show, which earned a series order Friday.

Thompson, who has starred on SNL since 2003, will star in the family sitcom as a newly widowed father who "strives to be a super dad to his two adorable girls while simultaneously balancing his job and a father-in-law who 'helps' in the most inappropriate ways," according to NBC. Special's Punam Patel, sisters Dani Lockett and Dannah Lockett, and Andy Garcia co-star.

Superstore's Jackie Clarke will write and executive-produce. Thompson, Lorne Michaels, and Andrew Singer will also executive-produce. Chris Rock will direct the pilot and executive-produce.

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Fans of SNL worried this means the end of Thompson's time on the late-night institution can rest easy -- TV Guide has learned that Thompson will return to the late-night comedy series for its next season. Thompson is the longest-tenured SNL cast member of all time, and he said on Ellen earlier this month that he has no plans to leave. The Kenan Show may turn out to be a short-order midseason sitcom that's produced during SNL's hiatus (which would be similar to how fellow SNL star Aidy Bryant shot her Hulu series, Shrill).

The Kenan Show will be the comedian's first sitcom regular role since Kenan & Kel ended in 2000. He's also serving as a judge on an NBC summer comedy competition series called Bring the Funny and executive-producing an All That reboot.